The Group

Lynne Spencer serves as principal of preservation, with a long and distinguished tenure preserving historic buildings and properties for contemporary use and conservation. At Historic New England, Lynne held a series of positions including Director of Properties – a role responsible for 120 buildings and 50 historic sites. She also worked as project manager for L.V. Mawn Construction, was a consultant for the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and served as state director of the Smithsonian Institute’s “Save Outdoor Sculpture” initiative. She has directed the preservation and rehabilitation of numerous well-known structures, including three H.H. Richardson buildings and Boston’s Old North Church.

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​Alma mater: Keuka College

Hometown: Penn Yan, NY

Doug Manley serves as Spencer Preservation Group’s principal of architecture. As a seasoned preservation architect with a career focus on repair, restoration, renovation, and additions to historic buildings, his projects typically involve buildings listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places for public sector and institutional clients. Much of Doug’s experience involves civic structures, working with over 20 historic town halls, sensitively introducing 21st-century office and assembly environments into 19th- and early 20th-century structures. Several of his projects were bestowed preservation awards from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, including the Provincetown, Sandwich, and Needham Town Halls.

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​Alma mater: Miami University

Hometown: Belmont, VT

Principal Shawn Willett is a registered architect throughout New England and holds certifications in contract administration, specification-writing, and several other disciplines. He has a background in traditional residential and institutional design, which directly informs his work as an architect and preservationist. Shawn’s experience ranges from directing complex restoration projects to designing sensitive modern additions to historic properties to improve access and re-use in accordance with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. His catalogue of projects includes buildings listed on State and National Historic Registers, as well as National Historic Landmarks like Boston’s Old West Church and Fenway Studios. He has recently directed the comprehensive restoration of Scituate’s 1811 Lighthouse, which included the replication of its historic lantern room and serves as an icon of Massachusetts' South Shore.

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​Alma mater: Boston Architectural College

Hometown: Braintree, MA

With a long and accomplished career as a registered architect, Susan Hurst brings strong project and client management skills to her work, which includes a variety of building types across Massachusetts. While at Spencer Preservation Group, Susan has worked on notable buildings including the Spire Performing Arts Center in Plymouth, the Somerville Hispanic Church, and H.H. Richardson’s Oakes Ames Memorial Hall in North Easton. Previously, she worked at Finegold Alexander + Associates and Shepley Bulfinch, both located in Boston.

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​Alma mater: Boston Architectural College

Hometown: Miami, FL

Meghan Rodenhiser is a designer whose lifelong passion for history and architecture has led her to pursue a career in historic preservation. As a graduate student, Meghan was involved in several internships during which she conducted archival research, documented existing conditions, and completed conditions assessments and treatment recommendations for several historic properties. She has experience in residential, municipal, and historic preservation projects, including the Wright Tavern in Concord, MA, Oakes Ames Memorial Hall in Easton, and Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, as well as the William Vernon House in Newport, RI.

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Alma mater: Roger Williams University

Hometown: Wilmington, MA

Kayla Ignatowicz is a designer with a passion for history and preservation practice. As a student at the University of Minnesota she assisted research in the College of Design and worked in the University architecture archives, both experiences that inform her research conduct today. She has previously interned with the National Council of Preservation Education at the National Parks Service and has experience with cultural resource management, regulatory policies, and treatment planning.

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Alma mater: University of Minnesota

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Abbey is a designer with interests in art and architectural history, archaeology, and historic preservation. In her academic career, she worked on diverse projects, including those in Ghent and Florence as well as many scattered throughout New England, designing for many different cultures. Under a graduate assistantship role for a professor, this also included an analysis of existing buildings in Spain. She has experience in both historic and commercial design with involvement in research, drafting, documentation, and design studies. 

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Alma mater: Roger Williams University

Hometown: Bedford, NH

Caroline is Spencer Preservation Group’s business and communications manager. Before entering the exciting world of architecture, she previously had a career in healthcare and B2B tech public relations where she managed companies – large and small – as they expanded their media footprint. She also spent time as a newswriter at a broadcast news station in Boston, covering events such as the Baby Doe case, 2016 election, Aaron Hernandez trial, and multiple Olympic games.

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Alma mater: University of Tampa

Hometown: Plymouth, MA